To save paper, time and money, those parents who have provided email address we use the Tucasi email system to communicate via email. This means that you receive the information quicker and it is better for the environment. For parents that have not provided an email address we send paper copies via the children. We do sometimes send paper communications to all parents e.g. where there is a reply slip with money to be returned. All school communications are also linked on our website for you to access at any time.

Children are required to complete Literacy and Maths. The home learning challenges are voluntary, we hope that the family will get involved in these. There are choices as to how many of the challenges your child does. More information about home learning can be found on our website: Guide to home learning

Lost property is found throughout the school and it is placed in a container. There are 5 of these so that we start a new one each week. These are regularly sorted through to identify named clothing and return it to its owners. Unclaimed clothing is split between Friends of Abbotswood for re-sale and the Air Ambulance clothing recycling bin after 5 weeks. Parents are welcome to come and check the lost property after school if they want to look for something that is missing. Please note that it sometimes takes a week for forgotten items to make their way from wherever they’ve been left to the lost property bin.

Children are welcomed onto the playgrounds from 08:45am. Before this time we do not supervise them and they should not be on site. Children who are attending clubs before the start of school can access them through the main gate.

An assessment for learning pack is given to your child when they start school at Abbotswood. It contains everything they need for their learning including a white board pen, green, red and yellow pencils, a green pen (for self-marking), a ruler and board wipes are available on each table. It is kept at school and replenished when required.

We have an ice and snow plan is put into action should adverse weather mean it is required. This includes gritting paths to keep children and adults safe and a decision making process if any closure is likely. If the school does close due to snow you will be able to find this out by calling our answer machine on 023 8086 3159 or checking our website or Facebook page. We will also endeavour to send out communications via our Tucasi Email and text service. Additionally http://www.hants.gov.uk/education/schoolclosures will have an up-to-date list of any school closures. Please use the paths that have been gritted.

Your child’s teacher will normally be available after school in the playground to answer any quick questions or have a brief chat with you. If you’d prefer to set up an appointment with them to talk at more length or in private please call the office to arrange this on 023 8086 3159 or email admin.office@abbsch.co.uk.

You can check this yourself if you use Tucasi, if you pay cash the office are happy to find out for you. However the beginning (08:30-09:30) and the end (15:00-16:00) of the day are very busy times so please feel welcome to call them on 023 8086 3159 outside of these times or email admin.office@abbsch.co.uk to ask. If you don’t use Tucasi but would like to please visit our online payments webpage to find out more about the system and help guides.

Yes please, we do not supervise children before 08:45 therefore you should walk your child to their club, we do occasionally see children loitering in the playground that should be in clubs but have decided not to go, this is not safe. If your child walks to school on their own please make sure the expectation is clearly set by you that they need to go straight to their club.

Please contact the school by 9.00am on the first day and every following day of your child's absence through illness. We have an answering machine so you can leave a message at any time. Provide a written note explaining the absence on their child's return to school.

Each after school club, whether school run or independent, does a register each session, if a child is missing they let our office know and they find out where that child is. Although we know that children occasionally forget we always put the safety of children first so we would never assume that they’d just forgotten. This is why if you know that your child will be missing a club it’s really important that you let us know in advance as we waste a lot of time tracking down children who have simply gone home. We also have waiting lists for some of our clubs and if your child isn’t attending regularly we may ask them if they still want to continue going.

We know that when parents have a concern that relates to their child at school, whether it’s pastoral, curriculum or staffing in nature, they often feel the best way forward is to ask to see the head or deputy heads. In our experience many of these concerns can often be most quickly resolved by talking first to the class teacher as they know your children best.

Learning

Concerns

Pastoral concern

Concern relating to particular learning or physical needs

Issues relating to staff

Concerns & Queries relating to school administration

Please raise your concern with your child’s class teacher in the first instance.

(Pastoral care covers our support of your child’s individual needs, their emotional wellbeing and helping them with any personal problems they may be experiencing at school.)

Where a concern is related to a special need and you feel an adjustment may be required to support successful learning e.g. issues related to ASI (autistic spectrum indicators), dyslexia or dyspraxia or physical disabilities

Please contact either Ms Brocklesby or Mrs Moore. They are normally on the playground before and after school or an appointment can be made.

Please speak to

Mrs Smith

School Business Manager

Please raise your concern with your child’s class teacher or ELSA (if they are known to the ELSAs) in the first instance.

Please raise your concern with your child’s class teacher in the first instance.

Please arrange an appointment with our Deputy Head and SENCO Mrs Moore.

If you feel the class teacher is unable to help please contact the Year Leader/Phase Leader. Our Year Leaders are responsible for the behaviour and pastoral care of each of their year groups

If you are not satisfied with the outcome please ask to speak with our Assistant Headteacher, Mrs Howard

Please make an appointment to see our Deputy Headteachers Ms Brocklesby or Mrs Moore if you remain concerned after following the steps above.

Please make an appointment to see our Headteacher: Mr Moore if you remain concerned after following the steps above.

Teachers are available after school for informal conversations and appointments can be made with all of the above by contacting the school office on 02380 863159 or emailing admin.office@abbsch.co.uk

If you are writing to the school it is really helpful if you give us as much information about the background of your concern or complaint as possible, including who it involves, and what you would like the outcome to be.

Our chair of Governors, Mrs Tracy Smith is also here to support when a parent has a concern or complaint. She can be contacted through the school office.

Our full school complaints policy can be found on our website or a hard copy can be obtained from the school office.